From President Cyril Ramaphosa:

The lockdown was not only necessary but it has also given us all time to adjust to living with the virus. Various surveys show that South Africans have come to know a lot about the virus and are taking the necessary precautions to prevent its spread.

I have been pleased to realise that a high percentage of South Africans wash their hands regularly, avoid contact with other people and wear face masks whenever they go out in public. I should however say that social distancing in public places is still a major challenge for us.

We need to focus our attention on ensuring that we adhere to social distancing practices because it is through close contact between people that the virus will be spread.

From President Cyril Ramaphosa

Most people will have noticed that the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in South Africa has been rising fast.

More than a half of all cases since the start of the outbreak were recorded in the last two weeks. During the course of this coming week, we can expect that the total number of cases will pass the 50 000 mark.

Sadly, we are also likely to record the 1,000th death from this devastating disease.

Don't worry if you live next to a quarantine site - Gauteng health dept

The Gauteng Department of Health says it would like to assure residents living next to a coronavirus quarantine site does not place the community at risk of being infected.

'It's not a one-size-fits-all recovery': Surviving the coronavirus

As the number of people in the country infected with - and dying of - the coronavirus continues to soar, many South Africans live with the daily fear of the disease entering their households.

I spent 2 weeks wearing a face shield instead of a mask, and I'm never going back

Homemade face masks are uncomfortable, sweaty, difficult to breathe in, difficult to talk in, fog up glasses, and require regular washing.

Cape Town Covid-19 vaccine trial comes under fire from activists

The small study looking to repurpose an old TB vaccine could help add to a growing field of science that asks, can you really reprogramme your immune system?

OPINION

Adriaan Basson: If all black lives matter to the ANC, what about Collins Khosa's death?

On the same day that the ANC, South Africa's governing party, launched its Black Friday campaign against racism and state brutality, the defence minister added insult to the injury of the family of 40-year-old Collins Khosa.

Being one of eleven people who have allegedly died at the hands of police officers or soldiers during South Africa's lockdown, Khosa has become the local equivalent of George Floyd to rally the cry that black lives matter (BLM). 

Predictably, the ANC's Black Friday campaign was met with anger and disbelief from South Africans who correctly asked the governing party whether it shouldn't clean its own house first. 

SA gears up to reopen schools as Motshekga pleads for no unnecessary visits 

Schools around the country are gearing up to welcome back Grade 7 and 12 pupils under new health protocols, and with the increased foot flow, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga has requested unnecessary visits be kept to a minimum.

Motshekga briefed the nation on Sunday afternoon about the plan for schools to finally reopen on Monday after a stop-start process to get them prepared to fight Covid-19.

She announced on Sunday 95% of schools were now equipped with the necessary equipment, while plans were afoot for pupils at the remaining 5%.

Coronavirus morning update: 'Sleepless nights' over schools - but 95% now ready to reopen

Your latest coronavirus news: The green light has been given for grades 7 and 12 to return to school on 8 June, with 95% of schools ready to reopen after a "momentous effort".

Mpumalanga records first Covid-19 death as toll rises to 998

Mpumalanga has recorded its first Covid-19 death as current cases neared 50 000 and deaths creep closer to the 1 000 mark.

Health Minister Zweli Mkhize released the daily statistics on Sunday evening, which saw an increase of 2 312 infections, taking the number of cases to 48 285.

Covid-19: The big wave is coming

It is only a matter of time before the rest of South Africa reaches the surge in Covid-19 coronavirus cases currently being experienced in the Western Cape, experts warn.

Epidemiologists, as well as experts in infectious diseases and vaccinology, spoke to City Press this week.

All agreed that a change in social behaviour was the only way to halt the increasing speed at which the virus was spreading.

Over 95% of schools has some sort of water supply.

Deadline for the option home schooling has been extended to September in Gauteng.

Online learning can't be a solution for Gauteng only but for the country, says Lesufi.

Parents can choose the best options for their children, there are four options to choose from.

66 staff from 55 different schools have been infected in the Western Cape.

95% of schools ready to reopen after 'drastically improved' mop-up week - Motshekga

The country's basic education system has put in a momentous effort - and is now ready to open.

This was announced on Sunday by Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga - giving the green light for grades 7 and 12 to return to school on Monday.

No visitors are allowed at schools say Motshekga, this includes parents and the media.

"This is a humble request," she says.

Gauteng has almost 155 nurses available for schools.

GPs mainly in township areas will start at schools before going to their surgeries.

The amount, and quality of PPEs is an issue faced by the department in the province although all schools have PPEs.

2089 in schools are catering for Grades 12 and 7 - 2078 of them are ready.

Vandalism and water and sanitation are the main reasons other schools aren't ready to open.

30 schools have staff who have tested positive of Covid-19. The list of these schools will be posted on the department's website.

In the North West necessary training and orientation has been done.

Many schools have been vandalised and the department has taken over to repair the damages.

PPEs have been procured.

Free State schools has all Covid-19 essentials like masks and sanitisers.

The province's schools has enough water tankers but the challenge of having them filled remains.

Every school in the province has an allocated nurse and clinic.

There were 72 schools that were vandalised.

43 schools in Mpumalanga won't open on Monday because no water tanks have arrived at the schools.

Schools are ready with masks.

147 schools were vandalised, 77 had to be fixed, the remainder needed minor repairs such as broken windows.

Challenge for schools in KwaZulu-Natal is water and sanitation, 104 schools won't open because they aren't ready to be opened.

Pupils from those schools will be accommodated at other facilities.

Just over 400 schools were vandalised but only 10 were in need of mobile classrooms and the remainder  will have necessary repairs.

Distances will be maintained at schools and schools are working on a plan to maintain the distancing once more pupils return to school, says Schäfer.

Mosai wrapping up his speech. He says they will continue tankering to schools for the remaining deliveries.

Those will be completed in the next three to four days.

Some installations that need to be completed will be finished within two weeks.

In the main, some schools in Limpopo and Mpumalanga also have a small proportion of schools in the 5% of schools nationally that are not ready.

In Northern Cape, those small amounts of schools are ones that need to complete the orientation process.

Western Cape is also "essentially" fully ready, except for a small proportion of schools that require repairs - they do not exceed 10 schools in total.

"Vandalised schools, which are an occurrence in all 9 provinces," Mweli says.

Mweli reminds those listening that on Monday, only 13.4% of the total number of learners will be received by schools due to the phased reopening.

"The total number of all learners is 13.1 million. So we are only receiving 1.6 million learners from Monday, which is 13.4%."

He shows that all schools in Free State and Gauteng are ready.

Some schools in KZN and Eastern Cape form part of the 5% nationally that are not yet ready.